NEXT

Pictures from the first day of the conference (in no apparent order)...

You can view the worship song line-up on Bob Kauflin’s blog,Worship Matters. Keep an eye on the blog. In the weeks to come, I will be posting some videos from our worship times at Next 2010.

All main sessions are available for download. Thank you to all who attended the conference. We hope you were blessed and encouraged.

-The Next Staff

Sessions 2 and 3 are available for download! Resources

The first session is available online.
Resources

Check-In/Registration opens tomorrow (Friday) at 3pm!!!

They are loading the truck as I type this…




The bookstore is packed and on the truck!



:)



Signs!

We’re getting ready!

We’re getting excited!

We can’t wait to see you in 3 days!!!

I think I’ve already mentioned this, but hey, it’s true. One of my favorite parts of the Next conference is the worship! What an amazing privilege we have. The honor of extolling the almighty God with 2,000+ Christians! During these times I’m often struck by the awesome realization of what Heaven will be like. If Next is just a faint glimpse, what will it be like to worship God face to face!

We haven’t talked much about the bands and such. I’m sure many of you are dying in anticipation. Who will be leading us this year? One of the great things about my job, is I get to fill you in on all of these small tidbits of important information. I mean, come on, you have to know whose playing before you leave…right?

Bob Kauflin will be leading all three bands again this year! Can you imagine Next without Bob? I can’t. I’m so grateful for the time and energy he puts in to selflessly serving us youngsters. Serving alongside Bob are three bands. Here’s some bio on each:



Na Band - Their purpose is to set “humble orthodoxy” to music. The content of their songs reflects an unswerving commitment to and passion for the truth that matters most: the gospel of Jesus Christ. During the year, they serve God’s kingdom through their local church, Covenant Life Church (Gaithersburg, MD), and regularly lead worship there.



ZELOS - ZELOS is a rock band out of the suburbs of Washington, D.C. The band’s unique sound is taking an exciting new direction with a full-length album slated for Summer 2010.  In addition to playing shows regionally, the band leads worship on Sunday mornings at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD.  Their goal is to make good music that proclaims truth both in the Church and to the world.



Generation Letter Generation Letter has blossomed from a local Orlando, FL Rock and Roll Band with a heart to serve God into a group of seasoned musicians and songwriters who love to worship God and lead His people to know Him more fully. GL is new to the NEXT stage and we are very pleased to have them join us.


What songs will we sing this year? The worship line-up has not been finalized, but click HERE to view the songs we sang last year. If you’re new to Next, this will give you a good indication of what is to come.

See you in 6 days!!!

So maybe you have been all excited about going to NEXT this year and at the last minute you can’t go. Maybe it just didn’t fit into the budget this year or you had a trip to Paris over Memorial Day weekend (If you do, have a great time and send me a post card). Or maybe you just know some folks that won’t be able to join us at NEXT this year. What do you do? Here are some quick thoughts what to do if can’t make it to NEXT….

1. Check out the website.  At http://www.thisisNEXT.org we are going to be keeping things up to date during the conference at the website so drop by and check out what’s going on (besides lack of sleep and lots of coffee). Stephen Altrogge will be keeping everyone up to date on Twitter and Josh Fenska will be keeping everyone up to date on FaceBook.
2. Pray for friends by name.  A great way I have found to participate in a conference like this I can’t attend is to pray specifically for people I know and then ask them later how the conference affected them. Pray has such a huge affect on our lives don’t underestimate its power! So lets be praying big prayers!
3. Listen to the Messages.  So after the whole gig is up and everyone goes home, all the messages (and cool application videos) are going to be posted online. So download the messages and then find someone that went talk about the message… sure to have great discussions
4. Loose sleep.  Since the rest of us will be loosing well most of our sleep this week, you can sufferings of the your brothers/Sisters by skipping some nap time too. Seriously maybe take one night over the weekend and spend some time searching the Lord instead of just chill’n. Pull out that book that has been on your “list” and read it! Pray about it and just seek the face of God. It is awesome that we don’t have been at a conference to experience the Power and Presence of God!
5. Fast.  Yes gentlemen not eating a meal…. I know it is tough but you can do it. I have found fasting to be one of the most powerful ways I have encountered God. And don’t feel like you need to do a 3 day thing…. Take the meal you love the most and just decide to “skip it” and instead spend time in prayer before God…. 
6. Keep up with friends.  It is awesome we live in this tech world so lets use it. If you can’t make NEXT this year, text friends that are going to check out how God is meeting them or hit them up on Facebook or follow the Tweets….
7. Have a NEXT party.  I am sure there people in network friends that also aren’t going to NEXT so give a shot and have a “I am not going to NEXT” party (original I know but I am an engineer not a creative genius). Focus the party on one aspect of God that we are hitting up this year at NEXT and spend some time just chill’n and talking about that aspect of God
8. Go fishing.  Okay that has nothing to do with NEXT but I still think it is a solid suggestion…. If I wasn’t able to go that is one of things I would do, standing in stream fly-rod in hand pulling out some trout…  nothing is better

Well that is all I got…. For those of you who can’t make it this year, we are going to miss ya’ll but hopefully see ya NEXT year (sorry for the pun). And to all that are going…. I will see ya’ll in 8 days! It is going to be a blast!

1. Make sure that you are registered.
2. Review the details of your hotel reservations. It is always helpful to know where you are staying.
3. A tote, backpack or bag is very helpful to carry around items such as your Bible, notebook, and pen.
4. Make it a point to be bold and get to know as many people as you can.
5. Gum-may help you stay awake during the PM sessions. Also serves as a great icebreaker when offering it to people you are sitting next to who are yawning as well.
6. Espresso beans-for after the gum stops working.
7. Granola bars, popcorn, or fruit. It saves a lot of time and money to have pre-made meals on hand.
8. Phone Charger-as Riette reminded everyone-don’t forget it!
9. Cards-what a great time to encourage friends by writing notes.
10. PRAY-every time you think of NEXT pray for God to open your heart to all that He has planned for you.

Might I add an additional item for all the girls, like me, who have issues with finding large enough suitcases (I know, I know, they need to make bigger bags!). However, I have found a solution: bungee cords. They solve many an issue when there is no car to drive over your suitcase to close it.

Are you arriving in Baltimore late Thursday or early Friday? Are you looking for something to do?

Volunteer to be a greeter!!!

We are looking for folks to cover the Baltimore area, greeting Next Attendees as they arrive. And we need your help!

To volunteer (or find out more information) please e-mail the Next Staff at next[at]sovgracemin.org.

Thank you!!!

Registration closes at 11:59:59 TONIGHT!!!

Register Now!

Ok, so the packing list. I might state the obvious, but for some, the obvious isn’t so obvious, therefore the need for the obvious to be made obvious again. Eh, you get my point.
I’ve put together some some visual aids to assist us.

Dentists recommend you brush your teeth at least twice a day, so don’t forget to bring your toothbrush (and toothpaste).

A journal. You dont want to forget your journal. It’s impossible to remember everything that gets taught over these four days. Trust me, by the time you get to the 4th message, you probably won’t remember the first message’s 3 main point, hence, writing them down helps for a refresher after the conference and for those late-night conversations in the hotel halls.

Clothes, again…stating the obvious here. :D Make sure to pack enough clothing for the entire time! Guys, I know this can sometimes be a weakness. Girls, we tend to go overboard. Let’s try to find a happy middle-ground, especially if you are traveling with others, be consciousness of limited car-space. If you happen to forget some shirts, there’s always the NEXT Book Store, but hurry! They go quickly!

While talking about the NEXT Book Store, don’t forget some extra spending money! Everything you could buy in the book store will be worth your money! You might also need it for an extra espresso before the morning sessions.

Anyone needing an explanation of this list item, please contact Josh Harris. He’d be happy to explain to you, I’m sure.

Also, a classic forgettable item is your cellphone charger.  I’m sure your Mom is going to want to know that you arrived safely, didn’t oversleep for the morning session, brushed your teeth, took a shower, etc. and for all that communication, a charged cellphone is vital!

Last thought of wisdom for those who over-pack: “Too Much Stuff, Not Enough Space” sound familiar? I asked a coworker if he had any suggestions for the packing list and he enthusiastically said that space bags are great! “You just pack your clothes, stick it in the bag, vacuum the air out and all of a sudden you’re left with all this extra space!!” Now, don’t go filling up the rest of the space, again, be considerate towards those you might be traveling with!

Anyone have any great packing tricks/suggestions?

Want to volunteer at Next? Check out the information a Next Staffer sent my way…

Calling all Enthusiastic Next Goers! If you are If you are loud, zaney, hyper, crazy, joyful, energetic, or just love meeting new people, we need YOU! As many excited NEXT conferenceteers pour into Baltimore, they will need directions and assistance. That’s where you come in. We are looking for volunteers to greet on Friday May 29th at various locations around Baltimore to help direct people coming in for the conference. Time slots are from 11:45am - 3:15pm and 3:00pm - 6:00pm .  If you are interested please contact us at Next[at]sovgracemin[dot]org. Bring a friend or a group of friends. This is great opportunity to meet new people, serve, and start the conference of with a bang!